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Left-Wing Buchananites(Is it true that you red-staters are living off the public dole?)
Best of the Web Today ^ | November 9, 2004 | James Taranto

Posted on 11/09/2004 4:12:20 PM PST by hemi dawg

Left-Wing Buchananites ... Lawrence O'Donnell and Eleanor Clift, reacting to President Bush's stunning re-election victory by out-Buchananing Buchanan:

O'Donnell: The big problem the country now has, which is going to produce a serious discussion of secession over the next 20 years, is that the segment of the country that pays for the federal government is now being governed by the people who don't pay for the federal government. . . .

Ninety percent of the red states are welfare client states of the federal government. They collect more from the federal government than they send in. New York and California, Connecticut, the states that are blue are all the states that are paying for the bulk of everything this government does, from the ward of Social Security to everything else, and the people in those states don't like what this government is doing. . . . ... Obviously, this is crazy talk. But it's interesting crazy talk, because it reveals something about how the liberal elite views America. O'Donnell talks about secession driven by economics: Blue states pay a disproportionately high share of federal taxes, while red states receive a disproportionately high share of subsidies. Well, fine, but isn't it the blue-state types who favor higher taxes, especially on "the wealthy"? If guys like O'Donnell feel overtaxed, why not make common cause with the Republicans and starve the beast? ... They are willing to pay higher taxes to subsidize the rest of the country, provided the rest of the country allows them to dictate their social policies.

A week ago the red states rejected this view. The blue states are not going to secede, but maybe, just maybe, they will respond with a tax revolt. Now there's a liberal cause we could get behind.

(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: blue; election; kerrydefeat; red; secession; state; welfare
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Farm aid, rural development loans, welfare, -- all from blue states?
1 posted on 11/09/2004 4:12:21 PM PST by hemi dawg
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To: hemi dawg
Is it true that you red-staters are living off the public dole?

Just those that voted for Kerry.

2 posted on 11/09/2004 4:13:46 PM PST by jla
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To: hemi dawg

3 posted on 11/09/2004 4:15:54 PM PST by BenLurkin (Big government is still a big problem.)
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To: hemi dawg

Don't listen to O' Donnell... he is a "creepy liar" :-)


4 posted on 11/09/2004 4:16:23 PM PST by trashcanbred (Anti-social and anti-socialist)
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To: hemi dawg

I'd like to see the actual data on this. Anyone have it?

I find it hard to believe that the blues as a group are subsidizing the reds as a group.


5 posted on 11/09/2004 4:16:57 PM PST by Republic If You Can Keep It
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To: hemi dawg
Bravo Sierra...it is actually the other way around IMHO. Inner cities, represented by the DNC, eat up the lion's share.

What you have are leftist/elitist enclaves in Hollywood, Mass, NYC, Sun Valley Idaho, Jackson Wyoming, etc...and the modern day reservations in the innner cities (the multi-trillion dollar, so-called Great Society) that make up the entire DNC voting block.

Those areas where the majority of the people work for a living and are trying to live according to traditional American values make up the opposition to the leftist and are what voted Bush in. They are the smaller cities, some larer ones (like DFW) and the rural areas of the nation.

6 posted on 11/09/2004 4:17:42 PM PST by Jeff Head (The American people spoke on Nov 2nd.)
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To: jla

Gee, I had no idea I was poor....well, I guess the idea that Republicans are the rich is dispelled by the LIBERALS! I know we loose allot of educated Red State people to Blue States because they need more Judges, Attorneys Teachers and social workers. Seems to me if the Republicans in the Blue States would come home and the libs in the Red States would live...we would have no welfare in the Red States except for Social Workers, Attorneys, Judges and all law enforcement. Gee, Maybe the Blue really do need the Red more than we need the blue? I am confused...


7 posted on 11/09/2004 4:18:02 PM PST by PW Leader Canton
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To: hemi dawg

Higher taxes, higher wages, but more services. Affluent men and women in Boston cheerfully maul the earnings of the honest middle class family in Western Massachusetts to subsidize the public transportation system. Does it really cost a dollar to ride the subway? Only if non-riding taxpayers cover the difference.

But of course we are too stupid to do the math.


8 posted on 11/09/2004 4:18:25 PM PST by saveliberty (Liberal= in need of therapy, but would rather ruin lives of those less fortunate to feel good)
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To: hemi dawg

Since welfare is concentrated in urban slums, I have a really hard time believing it's the red states on the dole.

I'd like to see some supporting evidence of this claim. Probably written in disappearing ink.


9 posted on 11/09/2004 4:18:56 PM PST by Valpal1 (The constitution is going to be amended, the only question is by whom?)
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To: hemi dawg
O'Donnel and Clift would push their way to the front of the lie for the Kool-Aid. They are so out of touch with reality I'm surprised they haven't been elected to office from some "Blue state".

They should check out the district by district map and see where all the BLUE is: NYC, Newark, Detroit, Cleveland, and so on, last time I looked the government cheese was pretty popular in those areas!

10 posted on 11/09/2004 4:19:11 PM PST by Former Dodger (Congrats on 4 MORE YEARS< Mr. President! Now let's FLATTEN FALLUJAH!)
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To: hemi dawg

How about this. Do more DEMOCRATS of REPUBLICANS live on the Public Dole? I am sure the dems are not going to like the answer to that one.


11 posted on 11/09/2004 4:19:48 PM PST by elizabetty
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To: saveliberty
"Affluent men and women in Boston cheerfully maul the earnings of the honest middle class family in Western Massachusetts to subsidize the public transportation system."

Just how much did that Big Dig cost the Red Zones?

12 posted on 11/09/2004 4:20:09 PM PST by drc43 (John Kerry - Best when gone)
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To: hemi dawg
He must not be counting the federal money going to places that build aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines.

They don't build that many aircraft carriers in Kansas.

13 posted on 11/09/2004 4:20:32 PM PST by bayourod (Specter's litmus test : "No Christian Judges")
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To: Former Dodger

Sure is popular where I live.......Buffalo, NY, land of the freebies.


14 posted on 11/09/2004 4:20:52 PM PST by AirForceMom (I have post-election elation syndrome)
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To: Republic If You Can Keep It

It's a total misrepresentation. We get farm and business subsidies because, gasp, we have all the farms and businesses (what business is dumb enough to headquarter in a red state). If the blue states seceded, they'd be the ones having a hard time making it on their own--not us. We grow the food, run the economy, plus our men in uniform come quite disproportionately from red states.

Also, let's not forget that a very large percentage of minorities live in red states (compared to the ivory Northeast) so all these funds earmarked for minorities go to red states, too.

In the end--you look at the statistics of who the taxpayers and the leeches are voting for... here's a hint, people who actually pay taxes don't vote blue.


15 posted on 11/09/2004 4:21:33 PM PST by Nataku X (Lord, please guide President Bush, and please protect our soldiers in Fallujah.)
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To: hemi dawg

I think they should break this down by county to show the real story.


16 posted on 11/09/2004 4:21:35 PM PST by DrewsDad
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To: AirForceMom

lets all add up what we contribute and see who is feeding whom....


17 posted on 11/09/2004 4:21:44 PM PST by Gibtx (Pajamahadien call to arms.....)
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To: Nakatu X; Republic If You Can Keep It

I must have Typing Tourette's Syndrome. That should've said--what business is dumb enough to headquarter in a blue state?


18 posted on 11/09/2004 4:22:18 PM PST by Nataku X (Lord, please guide President Bush, and please protect our soldiers in Fallujah.)
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To: hemi dawg
Their logic, if true in the first place, is all the more reason to switch to a National Sales/Consumption Tax and eliminate the progressive income tax and all payroll taxes.

Keep it up libs! You can do the heavy lifting for us...bwaahaahaa...

19 posted on 11/09/2004 4:23:06 PM PST by NewLand (God Bless America and God Bless President Bush!)
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To: DrewsDad

Buffalo is why Erie county is blue and will always be blue.


20 posted on 11/09/2004 4:24:11 PM PST by AirForceMom (I have post-election elation syndrome)
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